Date:11/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/11/stories/2004091107801900.htm

Sport - Athletics

Pramila keeps her promise, wins long jump

By Nandakumar Marar

MUMBAI, SEPT. 10. G.G. Pramila, who almost bid adieu to athletics after failing to qualify for heptathlon for Athens Olympics by three points, kept her promise to husband-cum-coach B.P. Aiyappa with a gold in the women's long jump at the National Open Athletics at the Priyadarshini Park here on Friday.

"I was so depressed after missing the bus to Athens. I even thought of quitting the sport and I stopped training. I wouldn't have been here, but for Aiyappa's encouragement," said Pramila, after winning the event with a leap of 6.12m.

"I came here to win a gold for Railways," she added.

Her Railways teammate Ruta Patkar (5.98m) and Kerala's Ponny George (5.69m) finished second and third respectively.

C. Hamza of Services won the men's 1500m race clocking 3:57.56s. Piyush Kumar and Poonam Tomar — both of Railways — emerged fastest athletes in the men's and women's sections respectively. Piyush clocked 10.45s, while Poonam finished in 11.66s.

The results: Men: 10,000m: 1. Jagannath Lakade (Ser, 30:45.83), 2. Deepachand Mohan Singh (Ser), 3. Mukesh Kumar Yadav (UP); 1500m: 1. C. Hamza (Ser, 3:57.56), 2. Sunil Kumar Singh (Har), 3. Mahendra Banka Prasad (Ser); Long jump: 1. Maha Singh (Rly, 7.50m), 2. Rajesh Babu (All-India Police), 3. Ashok Kumar (TN). 100m: 1. Piyush Kumar (Rly, 10.45), 2. Sandeep Sarkaria (Del), 3. B.G. Nagaraj (Kar).

Women: Javelin throw: 1. Megha Pardeshi (Rly, 51.70m), 2. Manisha Mondol (Rly), 3. Suman Devi (Rly); 1500m: 1. Sunita Kumar (Rly, 4:35.14), 2. Sinimol Paulose (Steel Plants), 3. S. Shanthi (TN); Shot put: 1. N. Latha (Rly, 15.10m), 2. Saroj Sihag (Pol), 3.Chaitali Paul (Rly); 100m: 1. Poonam Tomar (Rly, 11.66s), 2. Rajwinder Kaur (Pol), 3. G.D. Gowremma (Kar); Long jump: 1. G.G. Pramila (Rly, 6.12m), 2. Ruta Patkar (Rly), 3. Ponny George (Ker).